Trust and Deception
by princess89
Summary: The team is investigating the disappearance of 3 women and things take a turn for the worst when JJ fails to turn up to work... Has 3 become 4? This is a casefile based fic,and I will try to simulate what would be done on the show.There are no pairins
1. Chapter 1

This is my first criminal minds fanfiction (I've done a few of The OC). It is set in the 2nd season so Emily is there and Elle isn't. Reid's kidnapping never happened(that fact may effect the future chapters). Anyway enough of my blabbering here it is:

Trust and Deception - Chapter 1: The Unexpected Visitor

"Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door," JJ sang along as she opened the kitchen cupboard to get a plate. She put the plate on the worktop and took a sip of wine before going back to singing. She danced over to the oven and opened the door to check on the chicken breast.

"Perfecto!" she smiled and put on her oven gloves. As she lifted the tray from the oven she heard the doorbell ring over the music. She frowned, not expecting any visitors. She put the tray on the cooling rack and turned off the oven. She quickly turned the stove off, letting the potatoes cool. She spun the volume control down on the music system as she made her way to the door, still quietly humming along.

She was about to open the door when she hesitated and put the chain on. She opened the door to a middle aged man standing under the light on the porch holding a charity bucket.

"Hi, can I help you?" JJ asked.

"Evening ma'am. I'm just collecting for the Battered Women's Shelter if you have any change you might like to donate?"

"Is it not a bit late to be collecting?" she asked looking into the pitch black behind him.

"It's never too late to help others," he said with a smile. JJ smiled back.

"Ok then. Do you have proof of ID?" she knew that she could never be too careful. He lifted up the tag that was hanging around his neck. It had his picture, a number and the name of the charity.

"Just give me a minute. I'll go grab my purse."

"Sure," he said with a smile as she closed the door. He waited patiently on the porch looking around at the quiet neighbourhood. Street lamps lit up the deserted sidewalk and a dog barked in the distance. It was one of those neighbourhoods where nothing ever happened. People lived quietly, naively - that was what JJ loved about it. It was a whole world away from work, a world where she could escape from what was really out there evein if just for a few hours.

He looked back as the door opened fully.

"Here we go," JJ said with a smile. "How much is the suggested donation?"

"Usually a couple of dollars but anything is greatly appreciated."

"Well here's a $5 note," she placed the note into his bucket.

"Thankyou kindly ma'am, it's much appreciated."

"I'm glad to help a good cause. Well goodnight," she said before going to close the door. But the door jammed. She looked down and saw the toe of a boot stuck in the gap.

"Sorry sir could you move your foot," she asked calmly.

"I don't think so," a blunt voice replied. She looked through the gap and staring back at her was the same man but this time his smile was replaced with an evil smirk. Her heart starting to thump in her chest and she tried to close the door again.

"Look if you don't move your foot I'll…" she said her voice shaking.

"You'll what?"

She screamed and jumped back as he roughly pushed the door open.

"Look take what you want I don't care," JJ said, frightened.

"Thanks for the offer but I'll pass. No there's something specific I want…" he looked around the hallway before his eyes landed back on her. "You."

JJ's eyes widened as he looked at her. She suddenly lunged forward and pulled the small table at the front door to the ground sending it crashing down, the lamp and vase of flowers falling with it and smashing across the wooden floor. She turned around and dashed towards the kitchen. She heard the front door being kicked closed and the sound of his heavy footsteps clump behind her.

She ran across the kitchen towards the knife drawer but as her hand gripped onto the handle she was shoved roughly forwards, her head hitting onto the worktop. Her hands were grabbed and held behind her back and she could feel him breathing on the back of her neck.

"I don't think you'll be wanting to do that," he grunted into her ear.

"Please," JJ whimpered.

"Please what?"

"Please just let me go," she wsaid shakily. He pulled her up holding onto her hands behind her back, the other arm wrapped around her neck.

"Oh you're not going anywhere….Agent Jareau…"

* * *

Thanks for reading, would love to hear what you think so far. Worth continuing? 


	2. Alone

I really can't thank you all enough for the fantastic reviews and also those who read the story! I really wasn't expecting all that response - makes me very happy : )! One problem is that I have to make sure that I can keep up what everyone wants now! I hope I have succeeded with this second chapter. Enjoy and let me know what you think...

Chapter 2: Alone

"Right everyone let's get on with the day," Gideon said as he marched into the room. He sat down at the table with his colleagues. "Let's just pick up where we left off from yesterday," he said as they all opened the files sitting in front of them. "So yesterday …" he looked around the table and noticed they were missing someone. "Where's JJ?"

"I haven't seen her," Morgan answered.

"Me neither," Reid agreed.

"She probably slept in," Garcia concluded. "I'll go and call her." She picked up her coffee mug and left the room. Reid frowned slightly knowing that JJ never slept in, but brushed the thought to the back of his mind.

* * *

Garcia drank a mouthful of coffee as the phone kept ringing.

"Hey this is JJ I'm not home right now but feel free to leave a message or call me on my cell, ciao!"

Garcia huffed as the message sounded.

"Hey girl you know how much I hate talking to your machine! Just wanted to see why you're not here but clearly you're not at home either so…really this was a pointless message. Well wherever you are you better get your little ass in here soon – I need my JJ splash of colour in the morning to keep me going! Anyway mwah, love you!"

She hung up then called JJ's cell.

"Hi you've reached JJ's cell phone, you know how it works…"

"Seriously Jayje where are you? I refuse to leave another message so just call me when you get this!"

She hung up the phone and shook her head.

"Damn 21st century!"

* * *

"So where did we get to yesterday?" Gideon carried on.

"Well the unsub targets these women at their homes which suggests that he knows them, he doesn't feel wary of approaching them where they most likely feel the most safe," Emily suggested. "I mean there's no sign of forced entry at any of the houses."

"Or he doesn't know them but knows that they feel safe at home and so takes advantage of this," Reid contemplated. "In each case the only way it seems that the unsub could have entered was through the front door. There were no other doors or windows unlocked."

"But if they don't know him then why do they let him in willingly?" Emily questioned.

"I don't know but I had Garcia run a check to see if there are any connections between the women but we got nothing," Morgan told the team. "They all went to different schools, different doctors, different gyms… etc, etc, etc… their only similarity are their looks…young, blonde, beautiful," he finished with a sigh

"Something must have made him choose these women. There must be thousands of young blonde women in the area," Reid figured. "There_ is_ a connection between these women, the question is what?"

"Right Morgan you and I are going to find out as much as we can about victim 1, Amy Mann," Gideon ordered. "Reid and Prentiss you take Josie McDonald," Emily nodded and gathered up her stuff. "Hotch you and JJ find out about Katie Mitchell."

"Uh sir JJ's not in yet," Emily pointed out cautiously, still wary of what she said in front of the team.

"Yeah she didn't pick up her house phone or her cell, I left her messages," Garcia said as she walked back in.

"I'll just go on without her just now," Hotch decided. "Get her to phone me on my cell when she gets in," he said to Garcia.

"Your wish is my command," she said with a smile.

"Uh Garcia we're all splitting up to study the three victims so if you can be on standby for any assistance," Gideon said.

"That's what I'm here for," she said cheerily as she made her way out of the room.

"Right everyone meet back here at 4:30pm, that gives you approximately 7 hours to find out as much about these women as you can," he told the team. "Let's go, let's go!" he clapped his hands and they all left the room.

* * *

"Oh you're not going anywhere…Agent Jareau…"

"How do you know my name?" she asked as he gripped her tightly.

"I watch the news," he said gruffly, breathing on her neck.

"What have you done to those women?"

"What women?" he asked feigning ignorance.

""What have you done to them?

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The hell you don't know what I'm talking about!" JJ said trying to struggle out of his grip.

"Oh we're quite the feisty one aren't we?" he said with a laugh that sent shivers through JJ's body.

"My team will find you," she said trying to stay strong. "They're the best out there."

"Oh they can try. They can try all they want, but you - you're alone now," he hissed before wrapping a gag round her mouth. She winced as her hands were bound together tightly behind her back. He spun her round to face him. He rested his rough hands on her cheeks, caressing them with his thumbs.

"You're special you know that."

JJ could feel her eyes fill with tears, fear making her lose any strength to fight back. She whimpered as his rough hands touched her cheeks.

"I think it's time we should go."

He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pushed her towards the door. JJ tried to struggle away from him but he just held her tighter.

"You know if I were you I would cooperate," he said gruffly close into her ear. As he pushed her down the path at the front of her house she looked around the deserted street and willed for someone to open their front door. But she knew that deep down he was right, she was alone now. He stopped her beside a dark blue car, and opened the trunk, his strong grip still wrapped around her arm

"Remember what I said," he whispered as she attempted to get away. She tried to scream as he pushed her into the trunk but all she managed was a pathetic, weak, whimpering noise through the gag. She shook her head as he pushed her in, pleading him to let her go but it was no use as the trunk was slammed shut trapping JJ inside the small dark space.

Alone.

All alone.

* * *

So thats installment number two. I hope it lived up to people's expectations! Reviews are always greatly appreciated : )


	3. Realisation

'What is this?' you ask. 'An update?!'

Indeed it is! I seriously am so sorry for the length of time it has taken me to update! I've had loads going on at school and had an american exchange girl over who left a week ago but decided to leave her cough and cold behind! Anyway enough of these excuses... thank you to all those who reviewed the second chapter, I hope you enjoy this one as much. There are pieces of this chapter that I kept redoing so I hope it's ok! Love to hear what you think!

Chapter 3: Realisation

'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear' – Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

A drowsy heavy feeling came over her body as her eyelids tried to open. She felt a hard, cold surface against her cheek and groaned at the throbbing in her head as she slowly came to her senses. She tried to adjust her eyes to her dark surroundings, a feeling of nausea rising up inside of her. She tried to push herself up from the ground but stopped when her wrists were weighed down and metal clattering sounded out. Bending her arms, she managed to push herself onto her elbows only to see metal chains wrapped around her wrists. JJ's heart beat sped up as her eyes followed the short chain to the heavy metal drainpipe. She started panicking as she shook at the chains in an attempt to rid herself of them. Using the little strength in her body she heaved herself into a sitting position, the heavy chain moving up the drainpipe.

"Oh god, oh god," she murmured in panic whilst trying to keep a level head. She moved her hands to the pipe and tried to pull the chain off causing a loud clashing sound to tear through the silence of what she could only describe as a dungeon like room.

"You know that's not going to help."

JJ's head flew up at the sound of the deep, gruff voice.

"What did you do to me?" she asked angrily as a figure loomed in the heavy wooden doorway. She had sounded angry though truthfully more than anything else she was terrified.

"They're far too strong to break off. Trust me they've been tested," he said with a cruel smile.

"What do you want with me?"

"Hmm that is a very interesting question. You know I think I'll leave you alone to think that one over. But don't worry your pretty little head I'll be back later. Oh and don't waste your breath screaming…no one's going to hear you…"

"No wait! Don't… Who are you?! What do you want from me?!" she shouted this with no response as she heard him bolt the door from the other side and walk away, his boots echoing off the concrete floor. JJ looked around the small dark room that she was trapped in. It was completely bare with a concrete floor and walls and a heavy wooden door. The only light came from a weak bulb hanging in the middle of the bare ceiling, with not even a crack to let any natural light in. There was a slightly damp smell that penetrated right into her nostrils causing her feeling of nausea to increase. She screwed her eyes shut trying to think back to the last thing she could remember. She remembered him dragging her out of the house and down the path where there was a car parked by the curb, his hand firmly over her mouth. She remembered being bundled into the car when his hand was placed with a cloth and from then on everything gradually faded into black. She had no idea how long she had been out of it. It could have been half and hour, or it could have been five hours.

JJ stood up, the chain she was attached to moving up the drain pipe. She looked desperately around her and rattled at the chains again, her natural instinct telling her to try and break free. She wondered for a second why she was chained up if there was no way out of the room, the door locked and too heavy for her to break through, but she had spent long enough with her psycho-analysing team to have a fair idea. She pictured in her head Gideon explaining the actions of the unsub.

"_He chains her for a power rush, likes to feel in control."_

"_He chains her so that…"_

JJ felt tears stinging her eyes and her body grow weak at the true realisation of her situation.

"…_so that he can do whatever he wants to her…"_

She felt her lips begin to quiver and almost without meaning to, cries for help erupted from her mouth.

"SOMEBODY HELP! HELP ME!! Oh god please help me," she whimpered quietly, as she looked desperately around her, the small room seemingly closing in on her and suffocating her slowly and painfully.

* * *

"Oh uh sorry one second," Reid excused himself when his cell phone rang. "Garcia what's up?" he asked as her name flashed across his screen.

"Hmm I don't know, why don't you tell me," she said coyly.

"Sorry?" Reid asked in confusion.

"Never mind. Are you and Emily still at Katie Mitchell's home?"

"Yeah we're just talking to a couple of her neighbours. Why what's going on?"

"Hotch just wanted me to ask if you guys could swing by JJ's place seen as you're nearby."

"She hasn't called yet?"

"Nada."

"Hmm that's weird," he commented.

"I'm sure she's fine but if you could just check up."

"Yeah of course, she's probably just feeling grotty and has gone to bed," he concluded out loud but knew it was a big lie on the inside.

"Ok talk later."

"Hey that was Garcia on the phone," he told Emily as she walked over to him. "JJ still hasn't called and she asked if we could stop by her place seen as we're the closest."

"Yeah that's good actually, I thought we'd go chat to Katie's work partner so we can stop off on the way."

* * *

"Mrs Mann?"

"Yes?" a worn out woman opened the door, the shadows under her eyes casting an aura of pain and fear over her whole body.

"I'm Agent Gideon, from the FBI," he held up his badge as did Morgan. "And this is Agent Morgan. We would like to talk to you about your daughter Amy."

"What do you want to know?" she asked as she led them into the living room.

"We just want to learn what she was like. We're from the Behavioural Analysis Unit of the FBI which means that we get into the minds of the criminals. And we do this through victimology," Morgan explained.

"Whatever will help to bring my Amy back…" Mrs Mann said slowly lowering herself onto the seat. Morgan took a seat opposite her and Gideon stayed standing.

"Firstly do you know of anyone that would wish any harm towards Amy? A grudge at work maybe?" Gideon questioned her.

"She teaches at an elementary school and as far as I know she doesn't have any enemies there or outside of work. I mean she was just a young woman who lived a carefree and happy life…why would anyone want to do this to her?" Mrs Mann said, as she lifted her hand up to her mouth to muffle a sob.

"I really am sorry Mrs Mann. We're doing everything we can to get Amy home safe," Gideon assured her.

"Do you recognise either of these two women?" Morgan asked her showing her pictures of Katie Mitchell and Josie McDonald.

"No, no I don't. Are these the other two women who have disappeared?" she asked. Morgan nodded his head. "But they all look so alike," she commented.

"That may have been the kidnappers' reason for taking your daughter – her looks," Gideon explained.

"But why?" she asked quietly.

"We're not sure yet Mrs Mann but the fact that all three women have huge similarities in physical appearance suggests that Amy does not know her abductor. It seems he has picked her for her looks rather than for who she is," Morgan tried to explain.

"Amy lives alone doesn't she?" Gideon questioned.

"Umm yes, though she has a boyfriend who often stays over."

"How often does he stay over?" Morgan asked her.

"He usually stays on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. You see he owns a chain of restaurant and manages one near here on these days."

Gideon and Morgan glanced at each other. They both knew that the unsub had to have known when Amy was going to be alone and so must have been watching her for a good period of time, learning her schedule.

"Do you know how we could contact him?" Gideon asked her.

"He is actually coming over here in about an hour. He's been helping me through everything since Amy disappeared. He's the only one who knows how I feel. Amy's father died when she was small and she doesn't have any siblings," she explained.

"Would you mind if we waited to talk to him?" Gideon asked her.

"Not at all, make yourself at home," she said gesturing for Gideon to take a seat.

* * *

"You know I've got a funny feeling in my stomach," Reid commented as he and Emily drove to JJ's house.

"What did you have for breakfast?"

"No it's not that sort of feeling more of a sinking feeling, a feeling of I don't know…" he tried to explain but failed.

"So what you're psychic now?" Emily asked jokingly.

She pulled into the curb and they jumped out the car. Reid walked around the car and joined Emily in walking up the path.

"Well her car's still here," Emily commented. "And her curtains are still drawn," she said shaking her head.

"What's so bad about that?" Reid asked her.

"Nothing my mom just used to hate it if I forgot to open my curtains, apparently creates a bad atmosphere, a bad omen for the rest of the day."

"You know in America there is a superstition that indicates that a black cat is a bad omen but in the United Kingdom it is considered to be a good omen."

"What about in France?" Emily asked teasingly knowing that Reid wouldn't realise that she was just playing with him

"Oh um, I'm not 100 sure though uh I guess with it's proximity to the UK it would be considered a good omen as superstitions tend to travel by word of mouth."

Emily shook her head and laughed quietly.

"What?" Reid asked her innocently.

"Nothing, nothing."

"Oh ok," he said with a slight frown.

As they reached the door Emily pressed on the doorbell. They stood there patiently but there was no sound from inside. She eventually reached over and pressed the bell again.

"JJ?!" she shouted through the door. She looked at Reid who was concentrating for any sounds.

"Maybe the door's unlocked," Emily suggested.

"No JJ never leaves her door unlocked; she's crazy when it comes to things like that."

Emily ignored Reid and reached to the handle. Much to Reid's surprise the handle turned easily.

"Never huh?" she said looking at Reid.

She pushed the door open and walked into the hallway. Reid followed her in but they both stopped dead in their tracks. On the floor in front of them was the wreckage of the table.

"What the hell happened in here?" Emily said under her breath.

"I don't know but you know that funny feeling I had earlier? Well it just multiplied by like a million."

Emily peered down the hallway.

"JJ?!" she shouted.

No reply.

"JJ?!" Reid joined her.

They looked at each other.

"You take the front I'll go through the back," Emily suggested. Reid nodded and they split up.

* * *

Reid knocked on a door and gently pushed it open revealing JJ's bedroom.

"JJ? You in there?"

The room was tinged in red, the sunlight casting rays through the curtains. But JJ was nowhere to be seen. He looked around the room. The bed was perfectly made, and her work clothes were draped over the chair at her dresser. The room was immaculate. Too immaculate for Reid's liking.

"Reid!"

Emily's voice called his name.

* * *

"What's wrong?" he asked rushing into the kitchen.

"More like what's right."

Reid looked at the chicken and the dried out potatoes and the empty plate sitting on the work top.

"Why would she leave after taking the time to make all this food?" Emily asked confused. "It would have to be something urgent."

"But if it was urgent then why didn't she take her car?"

"Or her cell," Emily lifted JJ's cell off the work top. She looked around the kitchen and back out to the hall way. She could feel in her gut that something really wasn't right.

"Maybe she didn't leave..." Emily said.

"Clearly she did 'cause she's not here."

"No maybe…maybe she was taken."

"Why would anyone want to take JJ?" Reid asked in confusion.

"Because she's in the 25-30 age range, blonde hair, blue eyes…"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"JJ's our number 4..." she said solemnly looking at Reid. "I need to call this in," she said taking her cell out her pocket.

"Wo, wait…we don't know for sure that she's been taken," Reid said not wanting to jump to any conclusions - or just not wanting to accept the truth.

"What we do know is that her cell phone and car are still here and there's a sign of a significant struggle at the door. Also there's a boot print mark on the edge of the door, some blood on the worktop and the knife drawer is ajar."

Reid looked at Emily in amazement.

"What? I took a course in Crime Scene investigating; I have a very trained eye. Look my guess at what happened is that JJ pushed the table over to try and keep the unsub back. She then ran towards the kitchen and he kicked the door shut before following her into the kitchen. She then ran to the knife drawer to defend herself but he caught up and forced her down causing her to hit her head off the work top."

Reid looked back down the hallway imagining JJ running for her life towards the kitchen. Even just the thought of this made his stomach turn.

"I think we should check the house before raising any alarm," Reid suggested.

"Ok fine," Emily agreed.

* * *

After searching through JJ's house Reid and Emily met back in the kitchen.

"Can I call it in now?" she asked him after they were certain that JJ was nowhere to be found. Reid nodded his head gravely.

"Hotch?" Emily said into her cell. "This is Prentiss. I'm with Reid. Umm we think we have a fourth victim."

"What? Where are you guys?" he asked her urgently.

"We're at 412 Woodfield Park..." she said hesitantly, glancing at Reid.

"412 Woodfield Park? But that's JJ's hou… Prentiss what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we think that…um that JJ is the fourth victim…"

"What do you mean you think?"

"We came to JJ's house and well her door was unlocked, there is uneaten food lying in the kitchen and uh, the table at her front door has been smashed to the ground. She is nowhere to be found. Please something is really not right. Can you get a team of crime scene investigators together and get here ASAP?"

"Ok I'll be there soon."

"Thanks."

"And Prentiss?

"Yeah?"

"I hope to god that you're wrong about this."

"Me too Hotch, me too," she answered before hanging up.

"Wh...what do we do now?" Reid stuttered.

"All we can do," Emily said. "Wait."

She looked at her young colleague's face which had lost all it's colour. She followed his gaze over to the other side of the kitchen to a picture pinned to the notice board. A picture of the whole team pre Emily. In the middle of the picture was a grinning Reid, his arms wrapped around a smiling JJ.

"She will be ok," she said gently, trying to comfort him.

"You don't know that," he said bluntly.

"No but I know that we have the best team behind us to find her."

"You just don't get it," he said almost angrily, looking at Emily.

"I don't get what?" she asked defensively. "That you are scared for JJ? 'Cause I get that."

"No…that the truth is that we don't save everyone. There are ones who haven't been ok, and there will be more still."

"We don't even know any details. There's no point in thinking like that," she said trying to get through to him.

"It's better than lying to myself. I don't know that she's going to be ok. And neither do you."

He took one last look at Emily before leaving the room. She looked back at the picture and glanced at Reid's retreating figure. No matter what he said she was going keep hope and believe that JJ would be alright.

The Swedish founder of the Nobel Prize, Arthur Bernhard Nobel, once said – 'Hope is natures veil for hiding truth's nakedness'.

* * *

There we go, hope it was even slightly worth the wait? I will get the next one up as soon as I can but I'm pretty busy just now!

Happy vibes to everyone!XXX


	4. No Connection

No your eyes don't deceive you!!! This actually is an update!! Wow it really has been a long time since I updated this story! I've settled into uni now and I've just finished my first exams and have a 2 week break before classes start again, so I'm going to try and get back into the story and update more regularly (which shouldn't be hard in comparison to this update!!) Anyway hope this chapter makes up for even a wee bit of the time that has passed... Thanks so much for all those who reviewed and those who urged me to carry on - made me very happy: D

Chapter 4: No Connection

_All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing – Edmund Burke_

* * *

"Everyone in the meeting room now!" Hotch called urgently. "You too," he said to Garcia. Morgan looked at Garcia in confusion and followed behind Hotch.

"What's going on? Do we have a lead on the case?" Morgan asked as they all sat down around the table.

"Well you could say that," Hotch replied. "We have a fourth missing woman."

"Oh great," Morgan said under his breath leaning back in his seat. "The same MO I'm guessing."

"A 27 year old female, blond hair, blue eyes went missing from her house sometime yesterday evening."

Gideon, Reid and Prentiss all looked at each other, the knowledge that he was describing JJ making them feel sick. Hotch pressed the remote and brought some images up on the screen.

"These pictures were taken of her house…" Hotch stood back. Morgan looked at the pictures on the screen when a strange feeling came over him.

"Hey that house looks familiar," he said frowning at the screen.

"That's because it is," Garcia said her wide eyes fixed on the screen.

"What?" Morgan asked looking at her.

"That's JJ's house," she said monotonously, the truth sinking in.

"What," Morgan said with a scoff. "But that would make JJ the…"

"Fourth victim," Hotch finished off his sentence as he clicked the remote bringing up a picture of a smiling JJ. Morgan sat and stared at the picture, his eyes wide. He looked at the rest of the team and noticed that none of them looked surprised at the news except from Garcia who hadn't moved a muscle since the pictures had come up on the screen.

"Wait why do I seem to be the only one that is reacting to this?"

"Umm Reid and I went to JJ's house earlier to see why she never turned up to work but she wasn't home. Her door was unlocked and well you saw the pictures… We phoned Hotch and he set up a crime scene investigation and here we are," Emily explained to him.

"Ok so let me get this straight. Yesterday morning JJ goes on national television and breaks the news of the unsub and then that very evening she goes missing?! Was he already after her or did she just really piss him off by breaking the news?"

"I doubt he was already after her," Gideon commented. "He had to have watched the others for days, weeks even, to know their routines – the days Amy's boyfriend stays over, when Josie's dog walker comes. He's devolving. He took a risk with JJ. For all he knew she could have lived with a boyfriend. He had to have JJ which tells us what?"

"Physical appearance is the key element," Emily said. "We couldn't find any connections between the lives of the others – different careers, different hobbies – but that's because there is no connection other than their appearance."

"The fact that the physical appearance of his victims are all the same suggests that he sees them as a female in his life that is causing or has caused him distress," Reid commented. "Maybe a bad divorce or further back into his childhood - abuse or abandonment by his mother."

"Well whatever it was something has majorly set this guys fuse off," Morgan said leaning back in his chair.

"Right Reid, Prentiss, I want you to go back to JJ's house see if you notice anything, talk to her neighbours," Hotch told them.

"Yes sir," Emily said, nodding to Reid

"Morgan I want you…"

Hotch was cut off when there was a loud knock at the door.

"Sorry to disturb," an agent's head appeared around the door. "Detective Lane from Washington PD is on line one. Said it's urgent."

"Thanks," Hotch leaned over and hit the speaker button. "Detective?"

"Agent Hotchner, I hate to be the deliverer of bad news but…we just found a body."

It was as though at that split second the whole world froze. They all felt themselves holding their breaths, their eyes fixed on the phone. It wasn't that they wanted it to be any of the other women, they just didn't know what they would do if it was JJ.

"Whose body is it?"

* * *

ooooh... please review!!


	5. Broken Beyond Repair

Wow it's only been 9 days since my last update which, considering my terrible updating track record, is amazing:p ! I have a really bad habit of writing random chapters to stories that dont link together so I have most of the ending written out but then realised I have to write the middle!! Thanks for all the great reviews and I hope you like this chapter...

Chapter 5: Broken Beyond Repair

_We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves – Mitch Albom_

* * *

"Whose body is it?" 

"The body was identified as Amy Mann."

Each person in the room felt themselves let out a gentle breath and each immediately felt guilty for doing so. It wasn't that they wanted Amy to die, far from it. Just the thought of JJ being dead was more than any of them could handle.

"She was found behind some dumpsters in an alley downtown."

"Ok thanks detective, I'll send a couple of my agents down immediately."

"Thanks."

"Ok so assuming that Amy's is the only body so far that means he keeps them for 4 days and if he sticks to pattern which, shown by his taking of JJ, he may not do we're going to wake up to Katie Mitchell's body tomorrow. Let's keep it to one," Hotch told the withdrawn team.

"Do you still want us to go to JJ's?" Reid asked Hotch.

"Yes someone may have seen something without realising its importance. Gideon and Morgan, we'll go to the dumpsite. Everyone start piecing together a profile meet back here in 2 hours."

* * *

JJ pulled herself to her feet when she heard a key turning in the lock, the chains weighing down onto her wrists. She flinched when the door was flung open with a crash and her captor stormed in. He strode over to her and backhanded her cheek before she even had time to react. JJ fell to the ground from the impact but was immediately pushed up against the wall, his hand around her neck.

"You're scum," his hissed in her face. JJ scrunched her hands as breathing became increasingly difficult. She took a deep breath as he threw her to the side.

"Please…" she pleaded, looking in terror at the man towering above her.

"Don't plead with me! You deserve everything you get!"

He got down on his knees putting one either side of JJ.

"What you did to me," he growled holding her hands firmly by her side.

"No, I haven't done anything to you," JJ said in fear wriggling under his body.

"You liar!!"

JJ cried out as his fist came into contact with her temple.

"You ruined my childhood!! My life!!!"

"No," JJ whimpered through the pain as she felt her eyes pool with tears.

"Well you don't control me anymore. I'm going to show you what it's like."

JJ tensed as his hands grabbed onto her hips.

"What it's like to feel dirty, to feel used. I always told you I'd get my revenge."

She tried to fight him off but he was too heavy for her.

She tried to cry out as his lips came crashing onto hers but she was silenced.

She tried to kick at him but he just held her hips tighter.

It was hopeless.

JJ felt tears trickling down her cheeks as he roughly pushed her t-shirt up, his hand snaking up her smooth skin. He moved his lips from her mouth and looked down her body.

"Please I'm not who you think I am," JJ whimpered shakily. "My name's Jennifer, please, I've never done anything to you."

Her words fell on deaf ears as she felt his hands move off her abdomen.

"No! Get off me!" she cried out when his hands moved down and rested on the waist band of her sweat pants. She kicked her arms and legs off his body and kept crying out until his hand clamped over her mouth. As she felt her pants being pulled further down her legs JJ suddenly felt her body go limp. She couldn't fight him anymore. She closed her eyes, tears trickling out of the corners. She was going to be one of those women. Broken beyond repair.

* * *

"Good afternoon ma'am I'm Agent Prentiss," Emily showed the elderly woman her badge and Reid followed suite, "and this is Dr Reid."

"FBI? What can I do for you?"

"We want to talk to you about Jennifer Jareau."

"Jennifer? Such a lovely girl, an FBI agent too. Why what's happened to her?"

"Last night she disappeared from her house," Emily explained.

"Disappeared? As in someone abducted her? But why would anyone want to do that?"

"We just want to know if you saw or heard anything?" Reid asked her. "A strange car, any men you didn't recognise? Any strange noises?"

"Umm no, no I can't think of anything."

"Nothing?" Emily asked in defeat.

"This is a quiet neighbourhood. Nothing bad ever happens here."

"Well if you remember anything, anything at all then can you give us a call," Emily handed the women a card.

"Of course, of course. I really am sorry I couldn't be of more help. I really can't think of anyone who would say a bad word against Jennifer."

* * *

Emily rang the door bell of the house across the street from JJ's and they waited a few seconds until the door opened. Reid frowned then realised there was a wee girl no older than 7 holding the door open.

"Hi," Emily said gently. "Are your parents in?"

"They've gone out."

"Do you know when they'll be back?" Reid asked her.

"Are you police officers?" she asked them ignoring Reid's question.

"We're FBI agents, sort of like police officers," Emily told her with a smile. She could tell Reid was getting fidgety beside her.

"Jenny's an FBI agent too."

"Jenny?" Reid asked suddenly alert.

"Mhm," the girl said with a nod. "She lives across the road. Sometimes she comes and plays with me and my brother Will when mommy and daddy go out at night. She gives me nice presents at my birthday and if I'm good then she'll braid my hair for me."

Emily couldn't help but smile slightly at the girl's description of JJ. She always thought JJ would be great with kids.

"But Jenny's gone away for a while," the girl said matter of factly.

Reid and Emily glanced at each other both frowning.

"What do you mean gone away?" Emily asked her.

"I mean that last night I saw her leaving her house with a man, she must be going on holiday. Maybe she'll send us a postcard."

Emily bent down to the girl's height.

"What's your name?"

"Holly."

"That's a pretty name. Now Holly can you remember anything about the man that you saw Jenny leave her house with last night?"

She was about to answer when a car door slammed.

"Hol?! What's going on?" a man and a woman rushed up the front path. The woman ran past Emily and to the girl's side holding her shoulders protectively.

"Ma'am, sir, I'm Agent Prentiss and this is Dr Reid, we're with the FBI," she explained calmly as they displayed their badges.

"Just like Jenny," Holly said in delight.

"What do you want?" Holly's dad asked suspiciously.

"I'd really rather not talk about it out here."

He was about to argue when his wife cut in.

"Honey it's fine, come on in," she said making room in the doorway.

"Holly where's Will?" her dad asked her as he shut the door behind them.

"He's on the computer."

"Go play with him whilst we talk to these agents."

"Uh actually we need to talk to Holly," Reid said in a hurry.

"What? Holly? How can she help? She's only six!" her mom said in confusion.

"We believe that Holly may have seen something of importance in regards to our investigation," Emily explained.

"Your investigation?"

"Is there somewhere we could sit down Mr..?"

"Howe. Jack Howe and my wife Elaine. Why don't we go into the living room," he suggested leading them all into a room on their right. Elaine sat down and pulled Holly onto her lap.

"Last night Jennifer Jareau was abducted from her house," Emily said getting straight to the point.

"Jenny?!" Elaine gasped in shock.

"I noticed tape across her door earlier," Jack said.

"You did? I hadn't noticed. Why didn't you say anything?" Elaine asked.

"I forgot alright, got distracted!"

"Holly said she saw her leaving the house with a man last night," Reid told them.

"Holly is this true?" Jack asked her.

"Ummm," she froze up her eyes dotting between each person in the room as she shrunk back into her mom.

"It's alright Holly," Emily said gently. "You haven't done anything wrong. That man that you saw leaving the house with Jenny is a bad man that wants to hurt Jenny. Now if you tell us what you saw then we can catch the bad man and Jenny will be ok and she can come and play with you again."

"It's ok honey, tell the lady what you know," Elaine said holding onto her daughters hand.

"Umm Mommy put me to bed last night," she started quietly.

"What time was that?" Emily asked her.

"8:15," Elaine replied. "We have a set schedule every night."

"But I wasn't tired," Holly told them. "So I crawled to the end of my bed and stuck my head through the curtains. It was dark outside and the moon was really big and there were loads of stars. They were really pretty," she said with a smile.

"Was that when you saw Jenny and the bad man?" Emily asked as Reid noted down what the girl was saying. Holly nodded her head.

"They walked down the front path together really close, like they were holding hands. Jenny was looking around and I waved to her but she didn't see me."

"Do you remember what the man looked like? Was he taller than Jenny?"

"Umm," Holly frowned.

"It's ok honey, take your time," Elaine told her.

"Umm he was a little bit taller."

"What was he wearing?"

"Dark clothes but he was holding something red."

"Do you know what it was?"

"I don't know" she said. "It was dark. It looked like a toy. And Jenny had a scarf on up to under her nose. It gets cold at night."

"Ok," Emily nodded glancing at Reid both knowing it was a gag and not a scarf that Holly had seen. "What else did you notice? Was there a car?"

Holly nodded her head.

"It was Like Uncle Jerry's car."

"My brother," Jack said. "It's a dark blue sedan."

"Did it have any writing on it?"

"I…I don't know, it was really dark," she said quietly.

"What happened when they reached the end of the path?"

"I don't know. Daddy came in to check on me and tucked me back into bed saying little princesses need their beauty sleep. Has Jenny not gone on holiday?" she asked quietly.

"No honey," her mom whispered into her ear.

"I don't believe I was right across the road and didn't know what was happening," Jack said running his hand through his hair. "If only I hadn't gone into Holly's room she might have seen more," he said shaking his head.

"Don't blame yourself Mr Howe," Emily said. "Holly has been a huge help."

Elaine smoothed her daughter's hair as she cuddled her closely.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Elaine asked.

"Could we possible have a quick look at Holly's room?" she asked them.

"Of course, follow me," Jack told them.

He led them into a bright room that clearly belonged to a 6 year old girl. Emily walked over to the bed. She leant over it and looked out the window. Right enough the window looked right over to the path leading from JJ's front door. She took a deep breath as her hands went clammy. She saw JJ being led down the path towards the car, towards a horrible nightmare. And all the while a little girl watched it happen with a smile and a wave.

Emily stood back and turned to face the others.

"Here's my card, if anything comes to you then please don't hesitate to phone," Emily said handing her card over. They all shook hands before going back to the door.

"I really hope you find her," Jack said sincerely. "Holly and Will love it when she comes to play," he said with a slight smile.

"Thanks," Emily said shaking his hand one last time before following Reid out the door.

* * *

Reid pulled open the car door and got in. They had knocked on more doors but no-one knew anything. The only thing they all had to say was that they didn't know anyone nicer than Jennifer and asked why anyone would want to hurt her - a question that Emily and Reid had been asking themselves.

"Ok so we know that she was bound and gagged so he must be physically strong but he must have looked trustworthy for them to willingly open their doors to him," Emily said as she sat in the car with Reid. "Ok so first question is why did four intelligent, educated women let this man into their house on a dark evening?"

"He'd have to have a way to lure them to a feeling of safety," Reid commented.

"Well it would have to be something good 'cause I wouldn't open my door to a man I didn't know at night."

"None of them even just opened the door onto the latch, they all opened the door fully," Reid said with a frown. "There was no sign of a forced entrance in any of the cases. Now knowing JJ she would definitely need a good reason to open her door."

"Maybe he said something like he knocked down a cat and he wondered if they knew whose it was?" Emily suggested.

"JJ is allergic to cats," Reid said with a shake of his head. "She would have just politely told him that she couldn't help."

Emily looked sadly at Reid who was staring out his window, his hands grasped tightly together.

"Ok so why don't we just forget a minute about exactly how he got them to open their doors. He must have looked non-threatening."

"Most likely white, averagely built, age range 20-40, clean shaven, well dressed, confident but not cocky. His car would have to be big enough to take a body but not so big that it draws attention – the blue sedan. Windows are most likely not tinted as this can draw suspicion and it won't be too new or too old. Everything about him is average," Reid spewed out monotonously.

"Come on let's go back see what the others got from the body. We've got all we can here."

_Innocence plays in the backyard of ignorance – Polish proverb_

* * *

So what did you think? I hope it wasn't too long and you didn't get bored but I couldn't really split it up. Coming up: Hotch, Gideon and Morgan investigate the dump site; the team really start to feel the effects of the case and JJ's situation continues to worsen... 


	6. Close Your Eyes and Dream

Ok so eventually here's installment # 6! Thanks to Caitlin from the cm fanatics board for getting me onto this!! (you should read her stories, username: ReidsLuvr93 )

Chapter 6: Close Your Eyes and Dream

_Appearances often are deceiving – Aesop_

* * *

JJ curled up in a ball and rested her head against the cold stone wall beside her. She closed her eyes hoping, praying, that it would make everything better. She remembered her mom always telling her when she was little to close her eyes and dream happy thoughts any time she was scared. To think of butterflies and bright coloured flowers.

But she wasn't a little girl anymore. Butterflies and flowers weren't going to help her forget what he had done to her. He had taken away a part of her that she would never be able to get back. She was like a butterfly with a broken wing, or a flower that someone had trampled on.

She realised that the most precious thing to her was her team: they were her friends, her family. So instead of dreaming of flowers and butterflies she smiled about what she loved best about each of them. She closed her eyes and dreamed about the most precious people in her life:

First there was Hotch. To those who didn't know him he came across as stern and business like. But they had never seen him smile. When he smiled it lit up not only his face but the faces of everyone around him.

Gideon. He was the most knowledgeable man she had ever known. She felt that she had to be careful about what she said to him but it always felt such an honour to be acquainted with him. That nod or look he would give her if she said or did something right was one of the best feelings in the world.

And Morgan. Derek was very much a ladies man. He had a tough guy stigma around him but JJ knew that there was so much more to Derek Morgan than that. Underneath his hard shell was a damaged soul and one of the most genuine and kindest people she knew.

Dr Spencer Reid. She felt her mouth twitch into a small smile. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter. All JJ ever wanted to do was to ruffle up his hair every time she saw him. She knew that he used to have a major crush on her but he had moved past that and now loved her as a good friend. She could tease him endlessly about his mismatching socks and his trousers that were that little bit too short. She loved him for being nothing like anyone else she knew. She loved him for being Reid.

Newest to the team was Emily. JJ knew she had spent her whole life being the new kid. JJ just wished that she would realise that she was just as much a part of the team as everyone else.

Last, but most certainly not least: Garcia. Penelope was the best friend that JJ had ever had. She could sit and chat with her forever about the good times and the bad. Garcia gave out the best hugs and was the most warm hearted person JJ knew.

She loved them all so much.

"Please come and save me," she whispered as a silent tear rolled out of her scrunched up eyes and down her pale cheek.

* * *

Everyone trailed back into the conference room.

"Did you guys find anything at JJ's house?"

Reid explained everything that happened at JJ's with little Holly and the thoughts that he and Emily had.

"So what would make four young, smart women open their doors to someone?" Morgan asked, his pen tapping on the desk.

"Maybe they all knew him?" Emily suggested.

"We checked for any connections but came up with nothing," Hotch said shaking his head.

"Ok then so other than someone you knew who would you open your door to?" Reid questioned pacing up and down. The room fell into silence as they all racked their brains.

"There's something staring us right in the face! I just know it!" Gideon said wearily, rubbing his hands over his face in distress. He looked around at his exhausted team. It was always 100 times worse when it became personal. "Let's take a break," he suggested with a sigh. "Some fresh air would do us all good."

The team slowly got up and silently made their way out. Except Reid.

"Hey come on, take a break," Morgan said when he noticed Reid staying.

"I'm not resting until JJ is back here safe."

Morgan sighed at the determination in his young colleagues face.

"Yeah you and me both," he said before closing the door behind him.

Reid walked over to the wall that was covered with pictures from the crime scenes at all four houses.

"_Did you know that it takes on average 600 grapes to make a bottle of wine?" Reid asked looking into the red liquid._

"_Do you actually want me to answer that?" JJ asked with a smile as she joined Reid on the couch._

"_No I just thought it was quite interesting," he said with a frown._

"_Hey don't worry I'm just playing," JJ said hitting his arm playfully._

"_Oh I better get that," she put her glass down as the doorbell rang. "Feel free to put the tv on or whatever."_

_As JJ got up Reid picked up the remote and switched the tv on._

_He looked up when JJ walked back in._

"_Hey can you chuck me my purse, there's a girl collecting for charity at the door."_

"_Yeah sure," he picked her purse up from the table and passed it over._

Reid scanned over all the photos his brain driving into overload.

"Collecting for charity….who would you open your door to….collecting for charity…." he muttered under his breath his eyes frantically scanning over the pictures in front of him. Suddenly it hit him. "…purse… That's it!!"

He ran out of the room and almost straight into Hotch.

"I've figured it out! The unsub is a charity collector!" he rambled out incoherently.

"Wo, wo, slow down," Hotch said raising his hands.

"Well you know how Gideon said 'it' was staring us straight in the face well I know what it is!"

"Everyone back in the room!" Hotch called to the team.

"Is everything alright?" Emily asked rushing back in.

"Everyone listen to Reid," he instructed as they all took a seat at the table.

"I was looking at these pictures and I had a flashback to when I went to JJ's house after we went to the game, and when I was there she answered the door to a girl collecting for charity," he looked around at the blank faces. "The unsub is a charity collector!" he exclaimed his voice squeaking. "It makes perfect sense! That's why they all opened their doors to him and…."

"The purses…" Emily nodded in realisation. "At all four scenes there were purses lying at or near the front door. They were all handing over money for the charity when he attacked!"

"Garcia…"

"List of all charity workers in the area, got it," she said her fingers going like lightning on her laptop.

"So JJ was giving this man money out of the goodness of her own heart and he…he attacked her?" Emily questioned.

"How do we know that this guy wasn't just posing as a charity worker?" Morgan asked.

"JJ would check for certain, all charity workers should have badges. She would check," Reid said knowing JJ was careful over everything.

"This guy doesn't like to play games," Gideon added and all their heads turned to him. "His mind is too methodical for that. He abducts women of the same physical appearance, at the same time of day. He has a specific plan, a reason for what he's doing."

"Now why would someone become a charity collector?" Hotch questioned.

"Religion maybe? Want to help others?" Emily suggested.

"Can't think of anything better to do," Morgan added in bluntly.

"Maybe they feel they have something to make up for," Reid commented with a frown. "Perhaps they did something in their past that they feel guilty about."

"Well that excludes….nobody," Morgan concluded. "We all have something we feel bad about in our past."

"Maybe he just became a collector so he could get close to these women," Reid suggested. "I mean who would suspect a charity collector of any wrong doing? He could easily stand on the street everyday and watch these women live their lives without people even giving it a second though. All he had to do was shake a bucket and look harmless."

"They had no idea…" Garcia said quietly looking up at the board with the pictures of the four women. Her eyes rested on JJ's picture. _"Oh my girl where are you?"_

_Hope and fear are inseparable - La Rochefoucauld_

* * *

Hope it was worth the read!!


End file.
